Glass defrosting tray for mechanical refrigerators



J1me 1933- A. C. CRIMMEL ET AL 1,915,849

GLASS DEFROSTING TRAY FOR MECHANICAL REFRIGERATORS Filed'June 11, 1952 1 H 6 PI. 3

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ATTORNEYS.

l atented June 27, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALVIE c. CRIMMEL AND HENRY H. GRIMMEL, or HARTFORD orrr, INDIANA GLASS nnrnos'rins TRAY FOR MECHANIGAL REERIGERATORS Application filed June 11 1932. Serial No. 616,630.

This invention relates to a tray construction for mechanical refrigerators.

, The chief object of this construction is to provide tray means for positioning between a shelf or support within a mechanical refrigerator and the condenser thereof, so that the tray means is adapted to catch the drippings when defrosting. I Another object of the invention is to provide tray means whereby when in defrosting the ice sheet upon. the condenser and the like becomes detached and falls, the tray is adapted to catch the same and permit the ice sheet to slide inwardly into and. lie upon the bottom of the tray means instead of being caught between the side wall of the tray and the condenser and topple out of the tray or the overhanging sheet portion melt and drip below.

The advantages of a ribbed bottom tray are fully set forth in the co-pending application Serial No. 543,642, filed June 11, 1931,

- of which this application. is a continuation in part. I

The invention disclosed herein is illustrated as embodying a plurality of associated trays for operative association with a multiple size single unit condenser. When the condenser unit is of relatively narrow width, of course, only a single tray need be employed and the single tray need not necessarily be provided with the lip means, illustrated, described and claimed per se in the before mentioned application.

Each tray in the present invention is illustrated as beingprovided upon a plurality of sides with rim means and one of said sides has the rim means omitted therefrom.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawing tioned beneath the condenser and in drip collecting or defrosting relation.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of one of the pair of trays. v

Fig. 3 is an end elevation thereof.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View taken on line 4;-.-4 of'Fig. 2, and in the directionof the arrows. V

Fig. 5 isa View similar to Fig. 2 and of a modified form of the'invention.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs. 2 and 5, and. of a further modified form of the invention.

In the drawing, 10 indicates a mechanical refrigerator, the refrigerating compartment being indicated by the numeral 11 and ineluding various shelves and supports 12, access to the compartment being had through the door 13. Positioned in the refrigerator, inethe usual manner, is the usual condenser, or cooling, coil 14, which, in the present dis- 55 closure, is illustrated as having considerable width. Positioned therebeneath in the present disclosure, is a pair of trays, the same being operatively associated together for catching the drip from the'cooling coil and the ice that is dropped from the outside thereof when the unit is defrosted.

In Figs. 2,, 3 and 4, one form of tray is'illustrated. In said figures, 15 indicates the bottom of one of the trays, the samebeing slightly elevated above the foot or lower rim portion 16. Extending upwardly from the bottom and integral with the bottom, are the side walls 17 which are inclined slightly outwardly. Herein the tray is shown reotangular with the innerside of the side walls inclinedrdownwardly and inwardly for drainage toward the bottom of the tray. Each side wall, except one, is provided with an upper rim l8 andthe same extends outwardly an appreciable distance from theside wall 17.

vAdjacent the ends of the rim 18 and the I end of the side wall '17, not provided with a rim, the terminating ends are cut away, as indicated at 19, and this portion serves as a 3 lip, or pouring spout, When the tray is to be emptied of any liquid therein. The rim 18 of the side wall opposite the rimless side 21, which, in the present form of the in-' ventionsee Figs. 2, 3 and 1, extend from one side wall toward the other. Herein the ribs 21 extend from opposite side walls toward the other wall but terminating short of meeting engagement, although they are longitudinally aligned. Likewise, the spaces between the longitudinally aligned ribs are not arranged in transverse alignment, but are staggered, as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

The ribs provided upon the bottom 15, permit the air to circulate around the bottom and between the ribs, and,therefore, around and beneath any articles placed in the tray when the tray is positioned, as shown in Fig. 1, which is a semi-freezing zone.

The tray is preferably made of glass, since this is the cheapest vitreous product available and may be produced commercially in large quantities by a molding process. As set forth in the co-pending application, a plurality of associated trays is provided, because glass trays in large sizes would warp if made in as thin a thickness as the smaller trays are made. If a large glass tray, the equivalent of a plurality of trays of smaller size were made, would not warp, the result would, of necessity, be a relatively thick and heavy tray which would cost more than the two trays,

, in the matter of material and finishing, and

which would have the added objection of having more weight than the housewife could conveniently handle.

In Fig. 5, there is illustrated a modified form of the invention, wherein similar parts are indicated by the numerals of the one hundred series, and as illustrated in this form of the invention, the last rib, herein indicated by the numeral 131, acent the mouth 119, is formed with a curvature 132 which assists i in the drainage of the liquid and yet, it functions in the same capacity as the ribs 121.

In Fig. 6, there is illustrated a modified form of the invention, wherein the ribbing at the corners is not comprised of parallel ii ribs but which are inclined, as at 231, and

these ribs extend towards the center of the tray but terminateshort of meeting engagement. In all three forms of the invention, the ribbing is shown integral with the bottom of the tray and extends from one side wall towards the other but terminates short of the other side wall and when a pair of ribs are longitudinally aligned, the aligned.

ribs terminate short of each other. The spaces between the longitudinally aligned ribs, as illustrated, are not in transverse standing ribs upon the upper surface of said a bottom and extending from each of a pair of side walls toward the other wall, adjacent ribs being of unequal length, the ribs extending from opposite side walls being longitudinally aligned and terminating short of meeting engagement, each longitudinally aligned pair forming a space therebetween, the adjacent spaces being offset from the others for circulation and prevention of sheet looking.

2. An integral vitreous tray of quadrilateral outline including a bottom, periph erally enveloping side walls, and a plurality of spaced and parallel upstanding ribs upon the upper surface of said bottom and extending from each of a pair of side walls toward the other wall, adjacent ribs being of unequal length, the ribs extending from opposite side walls being longitudinally aligned and terminating short of meeting engagement each longitudinally aligned pair forming a space therebetween, the adjacent spaces being offset from the others for circulation and prevention of sheet locking, and other ribs projecting inwardly and angularly from each of the other side walls and arranged in spaced relation with respect to each other, and of dissimilar length relative to the adjacent last mentioned ribs and the adjacent first mentioned ribs for providing spacing therebetween:

In witness whereof, we have hereunto affixed our signatures.

ALviE c. CRIMMEL. HENRY H. ORIMMEL. 

